


Gold

by mindofmymoon



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist (Anime 2003), Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Abduction, Alchemy, Alphonse Elric is a Good Brother, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Amestris, BAMF Edward Elric, BAMF Winry Rockbell, Deaf Character, Edward Elric Is A Little Shit, Edward Elric Swears, Edward Elric is a Good Brother, F/F, F/M, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Izumi Curtis Cares A Lot, Kidnapping, Lots of Crying, Lust Reincarnated, Mental Breakdown, Mental Health Issues, Missing home, Multiple Personalities, Non-Consensual Body Modification, Protective Siblings, Sarah Elric - Freeform, Sibling Bonding, Sign Language, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, The Author Regrets Everything, The Elric Siblings, Underage - Freeform, elric sister, phantom pains, rewritten
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-28
Updated: 2020-03-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:28:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23354701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mindofmymoon/pseuds/mindofmymoon
Summary: We’ve all heard of the rule of three’s, right?Edward Elric. Alphonse Elric. Sariah Elric.Edward lost his left leg, and his right arm. Alphonse lost his body. Sariah lost the ability to hear the world around her.The three alchemical prodigies failed in resurrecting their dead mother, and they paid a hefty price in exchange for their transgressions. The Elric Trio must search for a way to get their bodies back to normal with as few casualties on the way as possible.Sariah—Sarah Elric was only three years old when Trisha Elric away, leaving her and her two older brothers, Edward and Alphonse, orphaned and utterly alone. She’s left in Pinako’s care after her brothers leave in 1911.Now almost thirteen, she flees to East City to find with them once again.-OR-Edward and Alphonse have a younger sister named Sarah, born in 1901. She takes after them in battle and alchemy and she soon falls for an idiot prince.
Relationships: Alphonse Elric/Paninya, Edward Elric/Winry Rockbell, Gracia Hughes/Maes Hughes, Ling Yao/Original Character(s), Ling Yao/Original Female Character(s), Rebecca Catalina/Jean Havoc, Riza Hawkeye/Roy Mustang, Trisha Elric/Van Hohenheim
Comments: 2
Kudos: 27





	1. Chapter 1

  
Sariah (Sarah) Elric Character Info

Birthday: October 9th 1901  
Ages: 10, 12-14, 16  
Weights: 84lbs, 110lbs, 115lbs  
Height: 4’5, 4’10, 5’3  
Hair Color: Gold  
Eye Color: Gold  
Birthplace: Resembool, East State of Amestris  
Ethnicity: Xerxean-Amestrian  
Nicknames:  
\- Sarah (By most people)  
\- Say (By Edward and Alphonse)  
\- Kid (By Edward)  
\- Sister (By Alphonse)  
\- Golden Blood Alchemist (Rare)  
\- Goldilocks (Strangers)  
\- My Dear (By Ling)  
\- My Love/Wo de ai (By Ling)  
Abilities:  
\- Sign Language  
\- Martial Art’s  
\- Jujitsu  
\- Tai Chi  
\- Heightened Physicality  
\- Strength  
\- Endurance  
\- Speed (relating to her small frame)  
Prodigious levels of intellect in:  
\- Weaponry  
\- Alchemy  
\- Human & Animal Anatomy  
\- Soul Binding  
\- Critical thinking  
\- Problem solving  
\- Step by step analysis or the alchemical process in reverse  
\- Combat Alchemy  
\- Qi Sensing (A skill she dismissed as being paranoid until she is taught to focus it by Ling Yao and Lan Fan).

\- The price Sarah paid to Truth was her hearing.  
\- Sarah’s favorite weapon is a scythe.  
\- She cuts the crusts off of sandwiches so Edward can eat them, and in return, Sarah likes him to braid her hair.  
\- Sariah means "lady, princess, noblewoman" in Hebrew.  
\- She was the first of her siblings to transmute blood into a weapon.  
\- If she laughs hard enough, she snorts.  
\- She is close with Lan Fan.  
\- She has a soulmark in the shape of a crescent moon overlapping a sun on the upper left side of her neck.  
\- Ling is the only one who constantly calls her by her real name, Sariah.  
\- Outside of Mustang and Hawkeye, the first soldier she met was Jean Havoc.  
\- Edward scolds her for not eating a lot.  
\- Edward scolds her for not sleeping a lot.  
\- Edward scolds her for being reckless in fights.  
\- Edward just scolds her a lot period, but it’s because he’s scared to see her hurt.  
\- Sarah’s favorite thing to eat is fresh cookies.  
\- Cinnamon makes her sneeze.  
\- People think she is Edward’s twin.  
\- She joined the boys on their journey on September 1st 1914.  
\- When she had nightmares in Resembool, she’d sleep in Edward’s bed at the Rockbell home.  
\- She’s close with both her brothers.  
\- Her greatest fears are drowning, being buried alive, and watching her brothers die.  
\- Sarah hates carrots.  
\- Alphonse makes her laugh the most.  
\- She and Alphonse will gang up on their older brother to win the upper hand.  
\- Alphonse scolds her when she writes or signs instead of talking to him.  
\- Alphonse says she’s clumsy.  
\- Alphonse will talk to her sometimes to help her sleep if she’s having trouble.  
\- The first thing Alphonse admits to missing is her smile.  
\- Winry is her best friend.  
\- Sarah’s left ear has a discolored scar from when she lost her hearing.  
\- She writes things in a book most of the time because she’s insecure when she speaks.


	2. The Big Three - Together Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sarah reunites with her distanced brothers and the Elric siblings all collectively meet Shou Tucker and his daughter, Nina.
> 
> WARNING: Lost of sibling fluff and bickering.

Edward would never forget it. He’d never forget the way the smoke rose slowly as the fire ate away at the only standing memories of their childhood. He’d never forget the smell of burning wood that flooded his nostrils, or the way Alphonse’s armor visibly sulked through the whole experience. He’ll never forget how Sarah could barely stand to look at him since he proposed the idea. He’ll never let the memory fade of Granny’s look of disdain and Winry’s tear filled eyes.

Sarah’s tenth birthday was only a week away, and no matter how much she had begged him to take her along on their search for the stone, he kept refusing. It wasn’t safe at all, Ed was already the reason she couldn’t hear, he didn’t want to risk her life again. At least not right now, she was too young. 

He and Al aren’t that much older than her, but it‘s just different for them. Ed was the oldest sibling, it was his job to risk himself to protect his younger siblings. As for Alphonse, he didn’t have a body to risk. He was in less danger than Sarah would be. They just had to leave her behind for her own good. 

The night before he and Al were supposed to leave, Alphonse was collecting things that he knew Ed would need. Edward was busying himself with carving a permanent message onto the inside of his pocket watch. He was sitting crossed legged on Sarah’s bed, content with her spaced out whines and leg movements as he worked. 

When he finished, he adjusted to lay next to his only sister, sadly staring at the attached material of her hearing aids that breached their matching hair. 

_He was only twelve. He was still a kid, but he had to be the adult of them if they had any chance at getting their bodies back. He wasn’t even a teenager yet, but he was already an employee of the military. Alphonse was only allowed to join him because his armor reduced his weaknesses—_

Ed stopped thinking when Sarah groggily sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, scooting closer when she noticed Edward was there. She didn’t say anything, she didn’t want to. What could be said that wouldn’t just cause trouble? Their father left them, their mother died, and now her older brothers are leaving her. She was losing everything and it was too painful to talk about. Sarah settles in her brother’s side, pulling her duvet up with her. 

Edward didn’t talk as the younger eventually nodded off to sleep again, wanting to savor the eternal silence she was trapped in once more before she lost her brothers. 

_‘It’s not fair...’_ Sarah let her thoughts drift off until she was trapped in her dreams. Her empty, void dreams.

_‘I’m sorry, kid.’_

-

By the time Sarah awoke the next morning, Winry was asleep, Granny was in her workshop as usual, and Edward and Alphonse had gone off in search of the philosopher's stone.

They didn’t return home a year later, as they’d promised, and eventually Sarah stopped counting days. She’d go to school obediently, shoving her nose into the alchemy and physics textbooks during breaks in order to better her craft. Resembool only had one school after all, and she couldn’t grade out more than she already had as a child. Her home life was filled with self training and studying through the remaining books from her father’s library. By the time she was twelve, she read each book, and reread them just because she had time. 

When the summer of 1914 came, Sarah decided she couldn’t wait any longer. After talking it over with Granny Pinako, Sarah packed her bags the night of June 30th, hoping to slip out the next morning without Winry taking notice.

It rained that night. The sky poured, flooding down the pale hills of Resembool’s silent child. The town shook with the thunder. The eyes of lightning lit up with determination and ambition for the day that has yet to come. By moonfall the next morning, but before sunrise, a thick fog clouded the area, identical to the fog clouding Sarah’s mind. She was dressed and ready to leave while she still had the cloak of night, the lights of her and Winry’s room turning on was the last thing she’d planned on.

Sarah whipped around, the hood falling off her head as she laid eyes on her lifelong friend. 

“Sarah...” The older girl whispered, hands finally catching up to her mouth. “What are you doing?” 

“I’m sorry Win, but I’ve gotta go to my brothers.” Sarah narrowed her eyes defiantly and ground her teeth. “Don’t try and stop me, I’ve been waiting here too long. I have to do this.”

“So you’re just gonna leave me and granny without even saying goodbye?” Winry’s voice crack went unnoticed by the younger girl, but the hurt was evident through her face nonetheless.

“Granny knows...she bought me the ticket.” Sarah said in a shallow breath. 

“You don’t even know where they’re working, Say! What if you get lost? It’s dangerous to go on your own.” 

“The boys were just on a mission in Liore, so my best guess is that they’re at Eastern Command. The younger slurred out her response unintentionally. “If not, they’re working with Colonel Mustang in Central City. If I find him, I find Ed and Al.”

A silence stretched painfully between them, and Winry could only clutch at her stuttering heart. 

The blue eyed girl inched forward, aiming to correct Sarah’s defensive look. Latching onto the girl she saw as a kid sister, Winry let out a loud sob, hands clawing at the younger’s back. “Idiots...the whole lot of you...just idiots!” Her fist tapped on Sarah’s back stiffly.

Sariah clutched Winry’s quaking sides weakly, mind pulsating with uncertainty over the future. 

Winry pulled away after a few moments, eyes shaking with emotion. “I know granny probably told you to be careful, but watch out for your brothers, okay? They need you as much as you need them.” 

Sarah nodded, a wide smile breaching her young features as she clung to Winry once more, before breaking away. She grabbed her rucksack from the bed and headed out the bedroom door, down the hallway, and out the front door. She was running along the dirt path that led to the city square within moments of bidding her goodbyes, leaving behind the safety of home to rejoin her brothers. The red serpent’s cross on her black coat was fading away in the distance, and for a moment, Winry could swear she saw far too much of Edward in her. 

“Just don’t die!”

The shouting was futile and Winry knew so. 

-

Sarah’s train up north boarded at 5:30 AM, and she was ready long before then. Excitement boiled over so much that she could barely keep still the entire ride into what would be her new home. 

The preteen arrived in East City a little after midday, clutching the strap of her bookcase. According to her maps, she could take a road straight from the train station to Eastern Command, since it was literally at the center of East City. So she headed west from the train station, focus-bound on the military base.

She took in the aspects of the city as she passed. The dwellers she passed by sometimes gawked at the strange golden featured child with metal in her hair, but she didn’t focus on them. The girl admired the amount of buildings that lined each street. It baffled her that such a place could function with so many abstractions in the way. It was so busy here. There were so many people bustling around, but a flash of blue caught her attention a good distance away. 

It was something she immediately registered as an Amestrian Military uniform. ‘Perfect!’

Straying closer to that area, she laid eyes on almost a dozen more people clad in uniforms just like that, all strolling around a small cafe. Blue walls to honor the military made it evident that it was an owned MP business. 

Sarah wandered in, ignoring the stares she received as she approached the counter, already pulling out her notebook and pen. 

“Well hey pumpkin!” A chipper woman smiled at her, from behind the granite top. “What can I get cha?”

She smiled up at the older woman and scribbled out a question in her book. ‘Can someone help me find Roy Mustang?’

Squinting slightly to read it, she hummed. “Colonel Mustang? My friend works for him!” She stepped to the side and leaned over the counter, waving over a blond man with a cigarette in his mouth. “Hey Jean! Over here for a sec.”

The man stood, going over to their corner of the bar. “What’s up Maddie?” He smirked, eyeing the child unsurely. “Who’s this.”

“Little Miss Goldie locks here, is looking for Colonel Mustang.” The woman—Maddie smiled. 

“Hey kid.” Jean grinned, hand extended for her to take. “I’m Jean Havoc. What’s your name?”

Turning her book to the front cover, where her name was bound on the corner. 

“Sarah...Elric?” The blond man took a moment to blink before he spoke again, recalling the unique name. “As in Edward and Alphonse Elric?”

Sarah beamed up at him, uttering her first words since she left home. “They’re my big brothers...”

That’s when it clicked for Havoc. The gold hair and eyes, then smile...she honestly looked just like Edward. “Wow...Ed and Al never told me they had a sister!” He went from zero to a hundred very quickly, and he slung his arm over her shoulder. And ushered her to sit at one of the barstools. “Your brothers have been with us almost three years now? How old are you?”

“Twelve.” 

“And you came to East City alone?!” Jean pushed a menu at her. “Must’ve been a long ride, lemme buy you something.” 

Sarah laughed brightly and attempted to refuse but Jean insisted, so she chose something small, a honeydew tea. A subtle memory of her mother. Trisha started almost every morning with either a honeydew or cinnamon tea before breakfast for the kids. She pointed at the name with a shy gesture and a meek smile. 

“Maddie, lemme get a honeydew tea for the little lady here.” Havoc set the money out on the counter and turned back to the child. “So what’s up with the...” he trailed off unintentionally and made a vague hand movement over her hands and book. 

‘I don’t talk much.’

The words she scribbled down in response drew another laugh from the lieutenant as the waitress set the tea in front of Sarah. “Yeah I can see that, but why?”

Instead of writing an answer, Sarah pointed up to her ears and made the sign for no. “I’m deaf.”

Of course, it came out sounding to Havoc as “I’m dep,” but he understood nonetheless.

“That makes much more sense...but how do you know what I’m saying?” The older man asked. 

Sarah pointed at her eye this time, and then to his mouth, and he glanced around slightly phased. A grin graced her lips at his reaction and she sipped her drink, the familiar warmth of home flooding her body.

“Elaborate please...” His laugh conveyed his confusion and Sarah turned to her book again. “I can read your lips.” He read aloud and made a sound in understanding. “You can? That’s so cool!”

‘It’s not perfect, but it works well enough.’ Sarah wrote out, going back to her drink again. 

“Why do you write everything though? You seem to talk fine enough.” Jean commented putting out his cigarette on the used ashtray to his side. 

Tapping her chin, Sarah shrugged knowingly. Taking another drink from her tea. ‘It’s just comfortable.’ She wrote. ‘I slur words sometimes, this way everyone understands me.’

“I get that.” The soldier nodded. “Your brothers should be with the Colonel now. I’ll take you whenever you’re ready.”

The Resembool native’s face lit up and she hurried to down the remaining tea, standing from the stool in a rush. “Then let’s go!” She was practically bouncing from foot to foot with excitement as he stood up. 

“I regret my offer.” Havoc jokes, starting towards the door and waving for her to follow. 

Sarah bounded ahead to walk beside him as he led her down the path again. While she didn’t have to go into that cafe, getting into Eastern Command would be much easier with a military officer as an escort. Running into someone from Mustang’s squad was just extra perks.

“How well do you know my brothers?” Sarah spoke, feeling it would be more difficult to write while they were walking.

“Pretty alright I’d say.” Havoc grinned back, pushing his hair up to avoid his eyes. “Good kids, it’s good they have a sister, otherwise I think they’d blow each other up.” The elder laughed. “You’re a lot like Ed.”

“I am?” 

“Yeah, you’re both edgy, blonde, and short.” He laughed loudly at her reaction. “And ballsy too.”

-

Mr. Havoc had led her to the command center and stopped any other MP’s from halting her, excusing her as his ward. Mustang’s office was on the second floor of the east wing.

Once they made it to the door, Sarah was mentally preparing herself to lay eyes on her distanced brothers for the first time in years. She was wringing her hands together in anticipation before the door was opened...and they weren’t there. 

She didn’t let the disappointment show as she peeked in on Lieutenant Hawkeye, the only one she could recognize, and five men. A large one with fiery red hair sat adjacent to Lieutenant Hawkeye, his uniform coat unbuttoned to give off his lax attitude. An older man with more grey than anyone present sat next to Riza, and a younger looking soldier with brown hair next to him. Havoc approached the redhead’s direction to sit between him and a young enlistment who had his focus on a large—and broken—radio.

“S-Sarah?” Hawkeye stood from her desk once she laid eyes on the girl peeking around the door.

“Lieutenant Hawkeye, it’s good to see you again.” The alchemist smiled widely to hide her nerves. Her wave was smaller than it would normally be, but she couldn’t help it. 

“It’s good to see you looking well, considering the last time.” Riza smiled, welcoming the young girl. “You must be looking for your brothers...they’re not here now but you can wait inside with the Colonel.” She walked to open the door, wanting to present the newcomer to their commander, and Roy looked up from his paperwork, honestly surprised as well. 

“What is it, Lieu—Ah...I’ve been wondering when you’d come join us. You can come in and sit.” Mustang smiled slowly when he saw Sarah. He rested his chin on his fist, elbow propping his head up on his desk. “You’re lucky it’s now though, your brothers had a hell of a month.” 

“Oh I’ve seen!” Sarah bounced over to the colonel’s area and sat in one of the chairs before it. “I heard about their takedown of Lieutenant Loki in Youswell, and their train fight against the Blue Squad on the train ride over here.” Her right hand unconsciously traveled up to her ear, playing with the foreign machinery. “Oh! And the uprising in Liore. They sure have been keeping themselves busy.”

“And they’re about to get busier.” The leader opened the drawer and pulled out a file on Edward’s next assignment. “An acquaintance of mine may be of use to the search of getting your bodies back. I’ll be sending Edward and Alphonse—and I guess you now too—to stay with a man named Shou Tucker for a time so Edward can study under him. He’ll be a good asset to learn from.”

He slid the file to Sarah and she inspected it thoroughly without a word. “He’s...the Sowing Life Alchemist?” 

Roy resisted his urge to correct her pronunciation, remembering that she probably didn’t even realize she was saying it wrong. She lost her hearing at eight, how often could she hear the word ‘sewing’ before then?

“So we’ll get to study under someone really important...I look forward to this!”

Outside the private room, the under ranks were whispering quietly, trying to pry some information out of the usually stoic Hawkeye. 

“Brothers?” The hefty redhead, Lieutenant Breda, huffed out in disbelief. “I only ever heard of it being the Elric Brothers, they’ve never said jackshit about a sister!”

“It is their family, Breda. After all, she’s young, they probably didn’t wish to expose her to the hard knock life of the military.” Lieutenant Havoc chimed in, the female soldier delivering him his fair share of paperwork.

“You’re telling me, she’s like what...nine? Ten?” Warrant Officer Vato Falman, the older of the room said.

“No, she was ten when I met her, so she’s twelve or thirteen by now.” Riza spoke up. “So she’s no younger than when Edward and Alphonse came to work with us.”

“These Elric boys are something else, and I’m sure the girl is just as tough as they were at that age, but jeez.” Breda took a breath, eyes narrowing. “Imagine that at thirteen. No parents to protect you—nothing. I don’t think I could survive that now.”

“Hush up and get to work, will ya?” Jean laughed, opening his first file of the day. “Who’s this...” he mumbled absentmindedly, his companion overhearing.

“Remember? Lieutenant Yoki.” Falman explained, barely glancing at the image on file. “The crook who was using the Youswell coal mines to line his own pockets.” He returned his eyes to his paper. “Anyway, the Elric boys exposed him and now he’s on the run.”

“Master Sergeant Fuery, any update on that radio?” Riza asked, attention on her junior now. 

“Receiver’s cooked, Lieutenant. I’m probably gonna have to replace it.” The raven haired officer took a moment to adjust his headset, allowing a little red devil to clap his hands and take advantage, pressing one palm to the battered metal box, repairing any faults in an instant. “Hey it’s Edward and Alphonse!” He rejoiced. “You might wanna go see the Colonel, your—”

The room of soldiers turned to attention and Havoc clapped the younger soldier on the back of his head to silence him. 

“Welcome back boys.” Riza acknowledged, keeping the girl in the other room a surprise for now. “Go on in, the Colonel is expecting you with a package.”

Edward’s expression visibly deflated, but he walked to the older man’s office obediently. 

When he opened the door, Ed’s narrowed vision seemed to focus on the bastard at the desk, and not the twin couches lined up in front of it. 

Alphonse, who scanned the room immediately, caught sight of a head of gold hair staring back at him, with a bright smile and shining eyes to match. “Sarah...” he whispered, thinking he’d just seen an illusion.

His thoughts were disproved when the figure leaped over the couch and bounded over to him, latching onto his metal figure with a loud shout of, “Brother!” 

The sound caused Ed to glance over, seeing a figure in a black coat with hair akin to his own, clinging onto his brother, shouting the word over and over again.

Alphonse responded but entrapping the girl in his hollow arms tightly, jumping up and down until he felt the roof shake. “Sarah I can’t believe it’s really you!” The armor set her down in order to take in her physique to see more than an instantaneous blur. “What...what are you doing here?! And how did you get here?” The middle child engulfed her again before she could even sign back, but she spoke in a wheeze. 

“Granny bought me a train ticket, I knew you guys just got back from Liore and I had to catch you before you left the east!” The youngest was almost in tears, and if Alphonse could, he’d already be crying. 

Edward on the other hand stood near the foot of the Colonel’s desk, stunned at what he was witnessing. When Alphonse set the figure down again, Sarah stood before him, black boots clanking down on the floor. He managed to catch the serpent’s cross on her back as well. Her gold hair was parted down the middle and set in two half braids, the rest being left to trail her back. Tears were now starting to creep down her cheeks when Al started asking if she was okay. 

He eased forward to stand next to Al and in front of Sarah. She was almost his height, so they were face to face for the first time in two years, and he could finally feel his breath release since he heard her voice again. 

“Edward...before you get mad, just let me explain, please.” Sarah bit back her uncertainty and spoke, trying her best to look him in the eye, which she saw were narrowed and hard. “I know you told me to wait until you guys came back, but you took longer than you promised. You said we’d be able to look for the way to get our bodies back together...” Her breathing caught when she tried to steady her emotions, and she accidentally sobbed. “You didn’t come back and I thought you gave up on me betting stronger. I want to work to get us back to normal too!” 

Her fears grew when Edward’s face remained unchanged by her words, and Alphonse took notice. “Cmon brother, you can't be mad at her when we did break our promise.” The younger boy said softly, voice breaking clear enough for Ed to head.

“Don’t be mad...please. Just don’t be mad at me.” Sarah’s voice trailed off and her brother’s gloved hands caught her attention.

 _“You know I can’t be mad at you.”_ With the words lingering in her mind, Edward cupped her cheeks quickly and dragged her in for a hug. As much as he hated to cry in front of Colonel Bastard, his sister was always his exception. “I’m actually really proud of you.” He whispered, and Alphonse barely caught what he said. The shorter of the two looked up at his body-less brother. “I’m sorry we worried you.” He assured her. Ed pulled away quickly to begin lightly scolding her. “But how could you come here alone? Do you know how dangerous that is?!”

“Ed!” The objections came from both of the younger siblings. 

“You just said you weren’t mad!” Sarah defied.

Edward rolled his eyes and pouted at her. “I’m not mad! I’m your big brother, I don’t need any other reason than that to scold you!” 

Colonel Mustang stood to get their attention, and he managed to get the three of them listening. “As much as I hate to interrupt this reunion, Fullmetal, I have an acquaintance within the military, an alchemist who may be able to help you with your search for the real philosopher's stone.”

“Who is he?” 

-

Mustang boarded himself and the Elric Trio into the back of a military cruiser to escort them to the rather large Tucker estate. Edward was begrudgingly seated next to Roy, and Sarah took the spot next to Alphonse since she was the only one small enough to do so. 

“Shou Tucker, The Sewing Life Alchemist.” The Colonel started. “Two years ago, he earned his certification by transmuting a chimera that could understand human speech.”

“Understands human speech...” Edward pondered aloud to himself, eyes blowing wide when he processed the information. “You mean it could talk?!” 

“Right,” The Colonel affirmed. “It spoke, supposedly, and it only said one thing... ‘I want to die.’” His onyx eyes burned holes into the paper he was reading from. “After that, it refused to eat anything until it finally died.”

 _“A chimera that could talk?_ ” The youngest among them mused absentmindedly. _“How’s that even possible?”_

“Feel free to ask the guy when we get there.” Mustang smiled.

 _“I don’t know, Sarah. You talk, so it’s probably possible.”_ Edward shrugged, only earning a half assed glare from his younger sister who feigned offense at the remark.

-

Standing at the foot of the steps to Shou Tucker’s estate gave each of the Elric’s a different feeling. Edward was indifferent, Alphonse was excited, and Sarah was skittish. Something about the Chimera they read about disturbed her, but this was her first hour with her brothers, to say she was scared would make her seem like a punk.

_Chimera’s shouldn’t talk...it’s impossible...they’re animals...they can’t talk..._

Colonel Mustang was ringing the doorbell that hung next to the large stone entrance. 

“Man, this house is huge.” Ed admires, glancing around the property. When their attention should’ve gone to the door being pushed open, it instead went to the large hound who trampled the eldest sibling. Shouts of concern erupted from the younger Elric’s and a young girl pushing open the door was noticed. 

“Daddy, there are people here, come look!” The child stood at an average stature and only looked four or five years old. She had loose blue shorts, a pale red top, and two long braids in her hair. 

A man appeared behind her in the doorway, seeming to be mortified by the situation. “Nina I told you to keep the dog tied up.” He chastised the girl lightly.

-

They’d all been led into the home, the living room was littered with boxed and stacks of books and papers. All alchemical research that this man—a lanky brunette with a fading hairline—had dedicated his life to. He sat them at a large dining room table, which was clean despite the surrounding mess and cobwebs, and brought out tea for them all. 

“I’m sorry about this.” Shou started hesitantly. “Ever since my wife left me, things have been kind of a mess around here. I’m not much of a housekeep.” His laugh was standoffish but understandable considering the four strangers in his home. His focus turned up to them once again. “Now that we're all comfy, I’ll say that it’s a pleasure to meet you, Edward. I’m the Sewing Life Alchemist, Shou Tucker.”

_There’s something off about this guy… Am I just being paranoid?_

“Ed here is interested in the field of biological alchemy, we were hoping he could study some of your notes and research.” Colonel Mustang spoke, only telling a half lie. 

“Of course, I don’t mind at all.” Tucker’s smile faded rather quickly as he fixed a glare on the blonde haired male. “However, if you want to see some of the tricks I’ve got up my sleeve, I think it’s only fair you show me the ones up yours as well.” Edward glared right back at the man, but kept his composure. “As alchemists, it’s the code we live by after all. Equivalent Exchange.” None of the other four alchemists in the room dared to speak after Tucker, but the distrust was growing with each word. “Now...why is it that you’re interested in transmuting living things?”

_No…not paranoia. There’s definitely something up with him._

Mustang defenses rose, ready to lie his way out of the reality of it all, but Edward stopped him with a raise of his right hand. “Colonel, it’s okay.” He took off his gloves slowly, moving to his jacket next. “Four years ago, we...my brother, my sister, and myself, we tried to commit human transmutation to bring back our mother who passed. For that, we paid the price.” 

“You...you transmuted your mother? As an eleven year old child?” The disbelief in Shou Tucker’s voice told them that this wasn’t the “trick up the sleeve” that he was expecting, but he was baffled. With the young man’s jacket and gloves gone, all that remained in his upper body was a loose black tank top, showing his metal arm as evidence of the price he paid. “I see...I see what garnered you the title of the ‘Fullmetal Alchemist’...You’ve had a rough time of it for someone so young.” The last comment was made as Ed dropped back into his seat.

“I paid with my right arm and left leg, Sarah lost her hearing, and Alphonse’s whole body was taken from him.” Edward’s lips grimaced as he relived the memories of that day silently, watching as Tucker stood.

“I don’t know how much it’ll be of use to you, but you’re free to look in my laboratory if you’d like.” 

_No, no I would not like._ Sarah’s mind objected as she stood up with the rest of them, heading towards the large, metal reinforced double doors. _The hell could be in his laboratory? What sick experiments?_

Mustang stepped in first and Tucker followed, leaving the three of them to enter and explore as they wished. Chimeras screeched in cages, and jars of discolored organs lined the shelves. What caught Sarah’s attention most was a dual headed...monkey...beaver? She didn’t know. The five inch claws and striped fur made it hard to tell.

Edward browsed the shelves of books and notes, while Alphonse observed the rows of animal parts. 

“It’s kind of embarrassing, actually.” Tucker scratched his head sheepishly. “I’m well regarded in the Chimera field, but it hasn’t actually been going all that well...” He set out to open another door at the back of the lab, and the opening of the doors stunned the three kids. 

“This is amazing...” Sarah mused, ogling at the dozens of shelves packed with books inside the next room. She’d quite literally never been around that many at once. 

“This is my library, you’re free to look as much as you all want.”

Edward hurried to stand with his siblings, excitedly pulling a book from the shelves. “Alright, let’s dive in!”

“I’ll start over here, I’ve never seen this many books before!” Al’s enthusiasm easily put Edward’s heart to rest. 

Sarah was unsure about how to approach pillaging through the man’s books, but Edward’s wave and smile pulled her out of her confusion. “Come on, Say! Pick any one!”

Returning the smile, she joined them in the shelves and perused over the titles briefly before pulling the first from the top row. 

Roy looked on with a smirk, aiming a comment at Fullmetal. “I’m gonna head back to work. I’ll send someone for you tonight.” The enamored Elric siblings didn’t even reply, Mustang couldn’t help but smile.

“They’ve got quite the focus, I’m sure they don’t even remember we’re here.” The brown haired man cut in. “Quite a catch these kids are, a trio of prodigies.” He admired.

-

Alphonse was breezing through a book, a number of shelves away from where his siblings were surrounded by hardback volumes of studies on the floor, when he saw a head peeking around the side of the shelf. The head retreated once the child that owned it realized Alphonse saw her. The head poked around again to check on him, and Al decided to talk.

“Well hi there, your name’s Nina, right?” If he could, he’d smile, so he just ramped up the happiness in his voice to sound more welcoming. The young girl nodded again and an idea popped into the teen’s head. “Would you wanna play with me a bit?” Before the moment passed, the toddler found herself on his shoulders, almost being able to touch the ceiling at his height. 

The oldest boy had heard the commotion that Nina’s shouts of joy caused and stood to investigate, knowing Sarah would follow. “Al! You’re supposed to be reading, what are you doing?” Ed shouted, a hand resting on his hip.

Alphonse stopped moving sheepishly and laughed. “Nina looked like she wanted to play.”

“We’re not here to play, Alphonse! We’re here to get information on the stone!” The eldest Elric stressed.

Sarah fawned at the younger girl who occupied her armored brother’s back. “You can’t blame him, Ed. She’s too cute!”

Edward wanted to snap back at her, but the three of them stared at him expectantly. “Fine, alright! We can take a break with the kid!”

-

Sarah eventually knocked out with her head in Edward’s lap. She’d been reading so much that half of the shelf was gone. Her notes were strewn about as well. He covered her with his red coat, and kept on his reading, occasionally checking in on her. Around ten that night, however, Edward quit trying to focus and instead looked at the tired girl. 

He took in her features solemnly. Her chubby cheeks were becoming less chubby, her hair was longer, she was taller... _‘Of course she’s grown since you left her, she can’t wait forever.’_ Granny must’ve bought her this outfit as well. He was tired, and confused, and frustrated. Of course Sarah wanted to come with them, but was it really a good idea? They’re never in the same city for long, they travel a lot without rest, they’re in constant danger, pulling Sarah into all that just wasn’t right.

_‘But pushing her away to keep her safe only puts her in more danger.’_

Edward’s thoughts ceased and he silently decided to shake his sister awake. She looked confused and tired when she opened her eyes, only sitting up to face him. “Hey kid.” He whispered, arm slung around her shoulders as she pulled the coat closer around her. 

“M’ sleepy, brother.”

Incessantly, Edward ushered her head to look over at him while he spoke. “C’mon, you just got back. I wanna talk to you.” Stubborn as ever, Sarah sat up fully, turning to rest her left side on the bookshelf as she glared up at her brother. “Why’d you really come here? You know how dangerous it is.”

Sarah thought of her answer carefully, willing her own eyes to close once more. “It just wasn’t fair.” She mumbled out the words, feeling fatigue tug at her again before Edward shook her. “You’re so strong...Al is so strong. And you’ve both been getting even stronger since you left.” Edward slowly began to understand her motivations, and he felt terrible. “I guess...just wanted to be strong too...” She was clearly fading from consciousness with each word, and he tried to draw her back with a hand on her shoulder, so she opened her eyes. “Didn’t wanna keep being left behind...And I missed you guys a lot.”

The older of them reached out, flicking the center of her forehead as payback, only speaking when she opened her eyes. “You know it’s rude to fall asleep when someone is talking to you?” The words were thrown out lightly with a laugh, and Sarah whined, pouncing on his legs with an annoyed huff.

“You know it’s rude to wake a sleeping person?”

Edward rested his metal hand on Sarah’s head. “Don’t think you aren’t strong just because of that.” Sarah’s annoyed look faded at his words then. “We didn’t leave you because you weren’t strong, kid. You’re too strong, ya’know? The things that we do and see...they’re hard to deal with sometimes. Knowing you, you’d deal with it too well because you wouldn’t want to burden us. Because you’re too strong.”

She failed at biting back a yawn when it came, patting his arm sleepily. “Okay m’ strong, but m’ still tired.” He could tell she was just agreeing for the hell of it, so he took one of her braids in his hand. 

“You still got your strong, and it’s even longer than mine...” Edward complimented, now pulling her down to lay her head on his chest. “You can sleep now.” He turned his attention back to his book, reading through the next chapter of his book. Mindlessly murmuring the philosophies aloud, knowing the hum of his heartbeat and the thrum of his voice in his chests would help her rest. When Alphonse found them close to an hour later, arms overflowing with books, Edward looked up at him sadly. “Hey Al.”

“Why the long face, brother?” The younger asked, sitting next to him. 

“I decided what I’m gonna do.” Edward spoke slowly, unconsciously petting his sister’s head. “She can stay for the week we’re here, but once it’s over, I’m gonna send her back to Resembool.”

The brother’s spent the rest of the night inspecting the books, thinking to have been content with the minimal time they had with her. 


End file.
